1. United Nations Statistics Division
ISIC Rev.4
Section J
Information and communication
United Nations Statistics Division

2. Why this section? First questionnaire:
How should ISIC reflect the growing importance of information in the economy and in society?
Should a high level category be introduced to deal with this?
What should the boundaries be?
The OECD has defined Information and telecommunication technologies (ICTs) whereas NAICS has adopted the Information sector (division 51).
To what extent should the ISIC revision be guided by these examples?

3. Concept, scope Two different approaches Creation of information
Distribution of
Information
Manufacture of information technology machinery
Wholesale of information technology machinery
Information sector
ICT sector

4. Concept, scope Based generally on mass distribution concept
It includes:
Creation and processing of information and cultural products
Distribution of these products
Telecommunications
Information technology, data processing services and other services

5. IT services
Require specific skills and expertise, therefore fit better with professional, scientific and technical services
Do not comply with the mass distribution concept
But,
the majority of countries (second questionnaire) wanted to have all IT services in the “Information and communication activities” section!

6. Specific characteristics of Information and Communication products
An information or cultural product does not necessarily have tangible qualities
The traditional order “physical production”- “distribution” is no longer always valid
Value lies in content, not in format
Protected from unlawful reproduction by copyright laws
No direct contact between supplier and consumer is needed, many ways of distributing

7. Structure of Section J 58 - Publishing activities
59 - Motion picture, video, television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities
60 – Programming and broadcasting activities
61 - Telecommunications
62 – Computer programming, consultancy and related activities
63 - Information service activities

8. Affected ISIC 3.1 categories:
221 ”Publishing” ( in “Manufacturing”)
72 “Computer and related activities” except 725 (in “Real estate, renting and business activities”)
642 “Telecommunications” (in “Transport, storage and communications”)
92 “Recreational, cultural and sporting activities” (9211, 9212, 9213, 9220, 9231 in “Other community, social and personal service activities”)

9. Improved relevance of affected ISIC sections
Publishing (ISIC ) removed from Manufacturing
Printing and reproduction of recorded media remain in Manufacturing
ISIC 3.1 Section K completely reorganized
IT services (the larger part of former 72) placed in Information and Communication
Telecommunications removed from ISIC 3.1 “Transport, storage and communications” section;
ISIC Rev.4 section H has transport, storage, postal and courier activities
ISIC 3.1 section O reorganized (had a very diverse content):
Portions of former 92 in “Information and communication”
Section R “Arts, entertainment and recreation” created with a cleaner concept
Other changes: Section E “Water supply, sewerage…”, section S “Other service activities”

10. Structure of division 58
581 Publishing of books, periodicals and other publishing activities
5811 Book publishing
5812 Publishing of directories and mailing lists
5813 Publishing of newspapers, journals and
periodicals
5819 Other publishing activities
582 Software publishing

11. ISIC Rev.4, Division 58 581 scope:
Publishing of books, periodicals, mailing lists, other works of art, software
Characterized by intellectual property required in their development
Usually protected by copyright
All forms of publishing included (in print, electronic, on-line, audio)
Music publishing is excluded (see 592)!

12. Structure of division 59
591 - Motion picture, video and television programme activities
5911 Motion picture, video and television programme production activities
5912 Motion picture, video and television programme post- production activities
5913 Motion picture, video and television programme distribution activities
5914 Motion picture projection activities
592 - Sound recording and music publishing activities

13. ISIC Rev. 4, Division 59 Division 59 scope:
Complete chain of activities for production / distribution of movies etc. (except retail)
Production of motion pictures and supporting activities
Distribution of motion pictures and other film productions
Motion picture projection
For television programmes, this is the creation of non-live content
Production of original sound master recordings
Publishing of music

14. Structure of division 60 601 Radio broadcasting
602 Television programming and broadcasting activities
No additional detail at class level

15. ISIC Rev.4, Division 60 Previously discussed: Division 60 scope
Creating live content
Acquiring the rights and assembling of content
Creation of complete programming (“channel”)
Broadcasting
All possible technologies for broadcasting are included
Previously discussed:
Internet publishing and broadcasting as separate activity
Split of 602 into TV and cable
Created many problems of interpretation
Subsequently dropped

16. Structure of division 61 6110 Wired telecommunications activities
6120 Wireless telecommunications activities
6130 Satellite telecommunications activities
6190 Other telecommunications activities

17. ISIC Rev. 4, Division 61 Key: operating the infrastructure
New detail introduced
Part of ISIC “Telecommunications”
Former class elevated to a division, activities better identified
Includes
Providing telecommunications, i.e. transmitting voice, data, text, sound and video
Commonality of activities: transmission of activities without being involved in creation / content
Internet service providers
Cable subscription programming as part of 6110
Key: operating the infrastructure

18. Structure of division 62 620 Information technology service activities
6201 Computer programming activities
6202 Hardware and software consultancy and computer facilities management activities
6209 Other information technology service activities n.e.c.
Considered as “support service” for section J

19. Structure of division 63
631 Data processing, hosting and related activities; web portals
6311 Data processing, hosting and related activities
6312 Web portals
639 Other information service activities
6391 News agency activities
6399 Other information services n.e.c.

20. Treatment of libraries and archives has been discussed for a long time
ISIC Rev.4, Division 63
Treatment of libraries and archives has been discussed for a long time
Libraries and archives remain in “Recreational, cultural and sporting activities” (former ISIC 3 division 92)
Does the mass distribution concept apply to them?